Filing drawer insert



Jan. 4, 1966 R. A. RICHARDSON FILING DRAWER INSERT 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 11, 1964 7 Bar A]. R/CI-MEDSOA/ lla,

1311- 1956 R. A. RICHARDSON FILING DRAWER INSERT 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 11, 1964 Ro H. R/CI/QPZJSON fA/vwroe. M/A fir'mausva United States Patent O 3,227,163 FILING DRAWER INSERT- Roy A. Richardson, 537 N. Normandie Ave., Los Angeles, Calif. 90004 Filed Dec. 11, 1964, Ser. No. 417,708 3 Claims. (Cl. 129-30) This invention has to do with improvements in card filing equipment, and is directed particularly to drawer accommodated inserts for the filing of different length cards in compartments at opposite sides of the transverse center of the insert, or insert and drawer interior.

For various purposes it is found necessary, or most practicable, to file series of different length cards in proximate, side by side relation, andto accommodate the cards within a single drawer. Frequently, ofiice workers are stationed at either or both sides of the card file, and for various reasons and indifferent situations or at different times, it may be desirable to have direct access to either card series at either side of the drawer or file. Normally, of course, where the file structure is fixed to position the cards in only one relationship, the longer and shorter cards, or wider and narrower card series, remain directly accessible only at their respective single locations, because of dimensionally fixed confinement not permitting of interchange.

The present invention has for its general object to provide for such interchange in a file or insert structure wherein forward and rear areas of a planar base are divided by a relatively wide upstanding compressor shiftable longitudinally of the base, and dimensionally variable card filing compartments ,are provided between a front end wall or panel-and the compressor at all positions of the latter. As will appear, narrower compressors usually will also be provided within these compartments, as well as a wider compressor between the rear of the base and the first mentioned compressor. In this respect the invention enables all the compressors to be accommodated by the same guide means associated with the base.

In its more specific aspects, the invention contemplates definition of the card compartments bya telescopic divider terminally connected respectively to the aforementioned end wall and to the compressor ,formingthe oppo1 site ends of the compartments. Provision is made for positioning the divider in offset relation to the transverse center of the base and generally in correspondence with the different card lengths, or widths of the card series. Additionally, provision is made for reversely or variably positioning the divider transversely of the base, thus to accommodate reversal of the card series or adaptation of the card compartment widths to any of various relations.

In a simple practical form the invention contemplates such divider position at predetermined locations according generally to two card series of certain dimensions, as well as positioning of the divider to accommodate any of dilferent relationships between the card dimensions within the overall width of the base.

All the features of the invention as well as the details of illustrative embodiments thereof, will be more fully understood from the following description of the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a view showing the tive;

FIG. 2 shows a filing cabinet drawer in longitudinal filing insert in perspecsection and within which the FIG. Iinsert appears in side elevation;

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 1 showing the card compartment divider end and panel reversed;

FIG. 7 is a view taken in the aspect of line 7--7 of FIG. 2 showing a variational form of the invention; and

FIG. 8 is a view taken in the aspect of line 88 of FIG. 6 to illustrate another variational feature. Referring first to FIGS. 1 and 2, the insert assembly generally indicated at 10 is shown to be receivable within a filing drawer 11, the insert comprising a planar base 12, typically of sheet metal, having downturned side edge flanges 13 to rest on the bottom 11a of the drawer. The base 12 is shown to contain a pair of parallel longitudinal recesses 14 symmetrically located transversely of the base and within which are received guide inserts 15. The assembly 10 comprises an upstanding compressor panel 16slideable longitudinally within the guides 14 and releasably held in any adjusted position by a pair of latch devices generally indicated at 17 and having typically the construction shown in FIG. 5. Each of the latches 17, as well as the later described similar latches comprises a pair of supports 18 secured to the compressor and having a common base 19 slidable within the guide 15. Supports 18 mount between them a latch lever 20 pivoted at 21 to the supports 18 and urged by spring 22 to bring the bottom end 23 of the lever in holding engagement with the top surface of the guide. Upon displacement of the lever to the broken line position of FIG. 5, the terminal 23 is released and the latch assembly and compressor panel are shit-table along the guides.

The insert 10 may also include a rear compressor panel 24 carried by latches 17a for sliding accommodation within the guides 15.

The structure described thus far is conventional and is intended to typify known insert assemblies having parallel guide ways within their bases and comprising compressors 16 and 24 extending transversely to more or less close proximity to the sides of the base.

The invention is more primarily concerned with the formation of card receiving compartments generally indicated at- 25 and 26 at opposite sides of a telescopic longitudinally extending divider 27 connected at one end to the compressor 16 and at its opposite end to a wall or .panel 28 which is free from attachment to the base 12. The divider 27 comprises an upstanding section 29 attachable to the compressor 16 as by screws 30 insertable through either of openings 31, see FIG. 6, or openings 32 at opposite sides of the transverse center of the base. The divider includes a second section 33 flanged at 34 to receive a section 29 in sliding telescopic relation so that the divider may be extended or reduced in length according to any position to which the compressor 16 may be shifted along the guides 15. The outer end of section 33 may be attached as by welding to the panel 28.

As viewed in FIG. 1 the compartment 25 at one side of the divider presents a relatively wide accommodation for a series of cards (not shown) of corresponding width,

and the compartment 26 at the opposite side of the divider presents an accommodation for cards of correspondingly narrow width, and the location of the holes 31 and 32 may be predetermined in accordance with the relative widths of the cards to be received in the two compartments. As previously observed, it may become desirable for any of the reasons mentioned hereinabove to reverse in effect the compartments 25 and 26 from their FIG. 1 relationship. For this purpose it is merely necessary to shift the divider section 29 for attachment within holes 32, to withdraw section 33 with the attached panel 28 from section 29, and to then invert panel 28 and rejoin the sections 33 and 34. As illustrated in FIG. 1 the divider section 33 is oflset transversely of the panel 28 in the same relation that section 29 is 0&-

set relative to the compressor 16. Therefore, upon in version of the panel and section 33, the later assumes the same relation transversely of the base 12 as the position of section 29 secured within holes 32. Thus by the simple expedients described, the wider and narrower compartments 25 and 26 become reversible at opposite sides of the base and become reversely accessible within the drawer 11.

Instead of limiting the interchanged positions of the divider 27 to fixed locations transversely of the base as described, provision may be made for variably shifting the divider to any of intermediate positions within a predetermined shift range. Typically provision for doing so may be made by providing compressor 16 as in FIG. 8, with transverse parallel slots 36 through which the screws 30a extend and within which the screws may be set to hold divider section 29 in fixed adjusted position. The opposite end of the divider may be rendered similarly shiftable as by providing section 33a, corresponding to section 33, with terminals 37 having screws 38 receivable within guides 39 so that section 33a may be shifted in correspondence with section 29 and held in adjusted positions by setting the screws 38 within the guides.

Ordinarily it will be desired to provide within compartments 25 and 26 compressors 40 and 41 carried by latches 17b and 17c which mount the compressors in accordance with FIG. 5. As illustrated, all the compressors travel the same guides 15. Where the relative transverse dimensions of the compartments 25 and 26 remain the same, compressors 40 and 41 may be used interchangeably. Otherwise compressors may be selected according to their widths, in keeping with other dimensional relationships of the compartments which are variable as described in reference to FIGS. 7 and 8.

I claim:

1. A filing structure within a filing drawer having side, front and rear end walls, said structure comprising an essentially planar base forming a bottom of the drawer and containing parallel guide recesses spaced transversely of the drawer and extending longitudinally thereof, an upstanding end panel at the end of said base and po sitioned free from attachment to the drawer side and end walls directly at the inside of the drawer front end wall, an upstanding compressor extending transversely of said guide recesses between the drawer side walls, means mounting said compressor for movement along and within said guide recesses, an upstanding divider comprising first and second telescopic sections extending between and parallel to said guide recesses, the first divider section having a fixed terminal connection with said end panel offset from the transverse center of the base, spaced engaging means on said compressor at each side of said transverse center of the base, said second divider section being alternately removably engaged with one or the other of said engaging means on said compressor, said divider being offset from the transverse center of the base to form filing compartments of different widths for the accommodation of different length cards or the like, said divider being displaceable to either side of said transverse center of the base and said end panel and the connected first divider section being bodily invertable to effect such displacement, and upstanding narrower compressors positioned and having different widths at opposite sides of said divider, each of said narrower compressors being shiftable along and within at least one of said guide recesses and being interchangeable to permit said displacement of the divider.

2. A filing structure according to claim 1, in which said base is removable from the drawer and has downturned side edge flanges supported by the drawer.

3. A filing structure according to claim 1, in which said guide recesses are spaced equidistantly from the sides of the base and said divider is positionable at predetermined locations at either side of and equidistantly from the transverse center of the base.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,692,231 11/ 1928 Thompson 129-6 2,104,912 '1/ 1938 Streeter 129-28 2,116,373 5/ 1938 Williamson 129-16 2,161,624 6/1939 Hoer 220-22 2,175,949 10/ 1939 Allen 129-26 2,218,300 10/ 1940 Schuster 220-8 2,229,299 1/ 1941 Loucks 129-16 FOREIGN PATENTS 525,885 2/1954 Belgium. 1,276,212 10/ 1961 France.

187,882 11/ 1922 Great Britain.

JEROME SCHNALL, Primary Examiner. 

1. A FILING STRUCTURE WITHIN A FLANGE DRAWER HAVING SIDE, FRONT AND REAR END WALLS, SAID STRUCTURE COMPRISING AN ESSENTIALLY PLANAR BASE FORMING A BOTTOM OF THE DRAWER AND CONTAINING PARALLEL GUIDE RECESSES SPACED TRANSVERSELY OF THE DRAWER AND EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY THEREOF, AN UPSTANDING END PANEL AT THE END OF SAID BASE AND POSITIONED FREE FROM ATTACHMENT TO THE DRAWER SIDE AND END WALLS DIRECTLY AT THE INSIDE OF THE DRAWER FRONT END WALL, AND UPSTANDING COMPRESSOR EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY OF SAID GUIDE RECESSES BETWEEN THE DRAWER SIDE WALLS, MEANS MOUNTING SAID COMPRESSOR FOR MOVEMENT ALONG AND WITHIN SAID GUIDE RECESSES, AN UPSTANDING DIVIDER COMPRISING FIRST AND SECOND TELESCOPIC SECTIONS EXTENDING BETWEEN AND PARALLEL TO SAID GUIDE RECESSES, THE FIRST DIVIDER SECTION HAVING A FIXED TERMINAL CONNECTION WITH SAID END PANEL OFFSET FROM THE TRANSVERSE CENTER OF THE BASE, SPACED ENGAGING MEANS ON SAID COMPRESSOR AT EACH SIDE OF SAID TRANSVERSE CENTER OF THE BASE, SAID SECOND DIVIDER SECTION BEING ALTERNATELY REMOVABLY ENGAGED WITH ONE OR THE OTHER OF SAID ENGAGING MEANS ON SAID COMPRESSOR, SAID DIVIDER BEING OFFSET FROM THE TRANSVERSE CENTER OF THE BASE TO FORM FILLING COMPARTMENTS OF DIFFERENT WIDTHS FOR THE ACCOMMODATION OF DIFFERENT LENGTH CARDS OR THE LIKE, SAID DIVIDER BEING DISPLACEABLE TO EITHER SIDE OF SAID TRANSVERSE CENTER OF THE BASE AND SAID END PANEL AND THE CONNECTED FIRST DIVIDER SECTION BEING BODILY INVERTABLE TO EFFECT SUCH DISPLACEMENT, AND UPSTANDING NARROWER COMPRESSORS POSITIONED AND HAVING DIFFERENT WIDTHS AT OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID DIVIDER, EACH OF SAID NARROWER COMPRESSORS BEING SHIFTABLE ALONG AND WITHIN AT LEAST ONE OF SAID GUIDE RECESSES AND BEING INTERCHANGEABLE TO PERMIT SAID DISPLACEMENT OF THE DIVIDER. 